Bureau of travels and excursions in Almaty.

“Since the gods know everything, he who appears in the temple should honestly offer one single prayer:“ Gods, give me what I deserve”

Flavius Philostratus (senior).

Coach trip from Almaty to Turgen gorge.

In 1904, residents of the southwestern part of the city of Verny (Alma-Ata, now Almaty), an area called Kuchugur at that time, began to raise funds to build a temple on the so-called Zubovskaya Square. Construction began in 1906.
On December 14, 1908, the new church of St. Nicholas (Mykolayiv Church), designed by architect S.K. Troparevsky, was consecrated by the hierarchal ministry. The church was wooden, in terms of the shape of the ship, seven-domed, with a high bell tower and azure domes.
The contractor for technical projects and the head of church construction was the architect A.P. Zenkov. Fr. Alexander Skalsky. Soon after the consecration of the St. Nicholas Church, a particle of the holy relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon was delivered from the Holy Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos, which to this day is carefully preserved at the See dedicated to this holy martyr of Christ.
Around the same time, a particle of the holy relics of the Great Martyr Barbara was delivered from Kiev. The casket with a particle of its holy relics is, as before, located on the Throne dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr.
In March 1954, as a token of gratitude for the material assistance provided by parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral to rebuild the temple in the city of Tobolsk, the icon of St. John, Metropolitan of Tobolsky, with a particle of his holy relics was donated to the St. Nicholas Cathedral by the citizens of Tobolsk.
In 1993, His Eminence, the Archbishop of Almaty and Semipalatinsk, Alexy (Kutepov), presented the church with the marvelous icon of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of the World of Lycia, with a particle of his holy relics. At these many valuable shrines, weekly evening services at the meeting of many pilgrims, the clergy of the cathedral perform akathist singing.
On the eve of the significant anniversary of the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ, a part of the Stone of the Cave of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem was presented as a gift to St. Nicholas Cathedral. With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop of Astana and Almaty Alexy, the Cave of the Nativity Stone, housed in a specially constructed cross, will henceforth be located in one of the oldest icons of the church - in the analogue image of St. Nicholas, which was built in 1911 on the occasion of the 25-year-old ministry of priest priest A. Skalsky.
And on the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary of this anniversary year, a new, amazing work, an ark appeared in the church, in which particles of the relics of more than 20 saints are placed.
These particles are in the temple for a long time. They were brought along with the relics of the VMCh. Panteleimon, and among them there are many relics of the saints of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra: St. Anthony, Anastasius, St. Silouan and others, as well as the relics of St. Gregory, St. Onufry the Great, St. Nil Stolobensky, Princess Anne, Marina, Paraskeva and others.
All these relics were stored in the ark on the Throne of the Great Martyr Barbara and were worn out for worship only in the days of memory of these saints of God. Now they have a special place in the temple, and everyone can light a candle and pray with all sincerity near the shrine dear to his heart.
From 1936 to 1945, the St. Nicholas Church, like all other temples of the city, was closed by godless authorities. On July 5, 1945, by the decree of the Holy Synod, the Diocese of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan was abolished in 1936, and the Archbishop Nikolai (Mogilevsky), who was released from exile, was appointed governor of the diocese. )
In 1946, St. Nicholas Church was transferred to the community of believers. Soon, with the blessing of Lord Nicholas, a small church was built in the basement of the church under the chapel of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God.
In the spring of 1995, with the active assistance of the Mercy group, the construction of the Poklonnaya Cross, a pedestal in memory of the victims of the post-revolutionary repressions of the clergy and laity, was completed on the temple site.
Here, in memorable parental days, memorial services are held.

Authority:
www.nikolski.kz

Photos
Alexander Petrov.